


Our Friend

by UltimateProtagonistNerd



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attack On Titan 2, Crimes & Criminals, Flashbacks, Gen, Implied/Referenced Sex Work, Military, Multi, Non-Linear Narrative, Organized Crime, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers, Trans Character, Trauma, War, underground city
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-05-18 22:04:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19343560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltimateProtagonistNerd/pseuds/UltimateProtagonistNerd
Summary: Based on the 2nd video game (which takes place during the first 2 anime seasons) and parts of Season 3, as well as later parts of the manga and stuff that would be passed over during the time skip . Takes place in an AU based on the game canon, which is slightly different from the comic and show canon.Eren Jaeger has learned the truth of the world, giving him a new goal and focus. To make things right for all the friends he's lost during his time as a soldier. And one in particular who left behind an incredibly detailed diary of her life as a Cadet and eventually, in the Scouting Corps serving alongside him, Mikasa, and the rest.The year is 854 and Eren has a lot of time to think about things while waiting for the next battle. The world has changed his perspective. Meanwhile, back home there's been another development he'll soon be made aware of.





	1. To You, If You're Still Out There

**Author's Note:**

> Original story by Isayama Hajime, writer and artist of the manga.  
> Attack on Titan games developed by Omega Force and liscensed to Koei Tecmo.  
> All copyrighted characters belong to the above, original characters are my own.
> 
> Without the previous work I would not have been capable of writing this.

"See you later... Eren."

~~~~

"Eren." Mikasa put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you prepared for departure?" she asked, tilting her head a bit and showing him a reassuring smile. "It's getting dark, so you should probably get out soon. It's important you get there before dawn."

"Huh? Oh yeah. There's only one more thing. Mikasa." The man reached into his coat and pulled out a book, giving it to his Sister. "I've kept this on me for a long time, but it's better if you keep hold of it for now."

"That book... Eren..."

"Yes, this book was _hers_." He fought back a sniffle. "If the enemy saw it they'd have a lot of questions for me." He laughed, lightening up the mood after seeing how somberly she looked at it while holding it. "I'm not sure if I'm clever enough to explain it and after all. Other people deserve to know all the details now."

"You've shared parts of it over the years, Eren."

"Well, it's a good read. Tell Armin I'm sorry for hogging it to myself this whole time." 

And with that, Eren Jaeger traveled over the sea, to a nation called Marley. The most powerful empire in the world outside of what he knew as home, for the first time in his life. The boat entered the waters before the crack of dawn, most people not even awake, not even the enemy soldiers stirred yet at this hour. 

The infiltration was successful. Pretending to be a wounded Marleyan warrior he soon was taken in and cared for, taking the identity of Eren Kruger, a former holder of his Attack Titan and the man his father had named him after. Sitting in this recovery room, befriending the young Warrior Candidates, going out on missions with them occasionally, all of it done as intelligence gathering. Early on though, he had little to do. So his thoughts wandered all over the place. Old memories to go over before he'd get the chance to form new ones.

His dreams, both in day and at night, showed events out of order. From his past and his future. His father's past having lived here before going to the Walls of Paradis. He thought of Commander Erwin, the day he died, without ever achieving his dream and learning the truth of the world. And the day in Trost that took several of his fellow cadets, and the Military Police interrogation, the betrayal of three other members from his class.

The betrayal he would go on to repeat, likely hurting many people in the process. All in order to free his Eldian people trapped on the Island.

And the day that diary was left behind.

But just barely, that day the diary was left behind, it was a blur and he was out cold when it was left behind in his care.

The most striking moment kept replaying any time he looked at that thing. Even now, just picturing it on his stand back at the Scout Headquarters while laying awake on a hospital bed it triggered the same scene...

~~~~~

"Wake up again. Eren. We made it." Armin told him as his groggy eyes opened. Jaeger bolted to sit upright and leaned against the side of the cart. 

"Minus... some." Mikasa added. 

Eren turned and saw Annie, inside her crystal, being carried off by several other soldiers, taking her back to captivity. He looked around and all the familiar faces from the 104th, who survived thus far, were present. Except for two notable exceptions. "Ymir and... Alice?" he said, heart dropping somewhat, hand stroking the book he was holding.

The gold-haired boy motioned to the others and they gathered around Eren on the cart.

He cleared his throat. "From our ranks, many did not make it out of the last mission." he shouted, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. Tears that he shook off and pushed through. "Ymir ran off in her titan form and is missing in action. And... and Alice Becker, a fellow graduate of the 104th who was at Trost, and helped on the expeditions outside the walls, used herself as bait to distract titans that were on our tail. She is also Missing. Likely even... deceased."

The others who had not witnessed what happened back their were taken aback, except for Mikasa, Conny, Sasha, and Jean. They along with Armin has all seen it. It felt like it had to be the last moments of yet another friend. While they could do nothing but flee.

One who always remained strong and resolute. Who'd always been there and knew the right things to say, always trying to help. The cruel world took another.

And forward to many nights later, while the survey core stayed in the halls of the barracks. It was hard to shake off what happened as of late.

"She never came back." Conny lamented, walking drearily beside Sasha and Jean, his back hunched ever so slightly as he watched his feet move across the wood floor. 

Jean muttered back "I'm not holding out much hope."

"She'll come back!" Sasha stopped in her tracks, forcing the other two behind her to pause and take a step back. "Definitely... I know she will." she insisted. Loud enough to make a commotion and be audible from down the hall.

The next day seemed to be even more of a slump for everyone. Both of them were still gone with no signs of return.

And the next day, and the next day. All blurred until Eren finally resolved with his two closest companions to take back their home in the name of all who were lost. Only then could everything truly get back on track.

Krista Lenz refused to speak much of the time, instead spending all the next several nights on the roof praying that Ymir would come back for her. Eren only knew because she told him in as few words as she could before going back up there once, requesting privacy.

During those days Moblit and Erwin had to calm down Section Leader Hange. She lost her favorite pupil and was beside herself about it and all the Titan research still left to do. Research that would be harder to do now, as the most enthusiastic assistant she'd had vanished.  

Eren even saw that Captain Levi appear to be grieving in his own way one of those rough days when called in for a brief meeting. In spite of the highly impersonal way he outwardly spoke about the situation. The hard-ass definitely had a soft spot, especially for people who worked with him directly. 

Eren knew because he brought out the tea cup she helped the former Levi Squad pick out for him as a gift months ago.

~~~~

It's been 4 years since then. Eren grew more cynical when it came to the subject was broached. When the days turned into months, the military dropped the investigation and declared both Ymir and Alice to be deceased. They would no longer consider the idea that those two were ever returning. But the Battle of Shiganshina was another victory for their people and cause. The truth was known and all of the Walls were back under control, Maria being slowly but surely repopulated. The old royals removed, Historia Reiss now on the throne after she killed her father Rod while the scouts defended Orvud District from his grotesque  120 meter long titan form. 

He also noticed as time went on and new loss befell him and his chosen family in the scouts the less people spoke of the older ones, as though they were fading from memory. But he still held on. That diary gave him insight and perspective that would become vital in understanding his teammates and superiors even better than before. Even everyone they had lost early on. Marco, Mina, Thomas...

Eren added even more knowledge here in Marley. Years spent alongside the others fighting against the Middle-East Alliance, many countries who had attacked Marley because they figured out they lost some of their titans and no longer feared being leveled by the resulting war. And yet... It still happened. Marley had won that war. More countries were trampled under the heel of their boots.

And Eren was here reading his comrades secret letters and being pleased by much of the good news, such as the completion of the Rail system, to make transportation back home easier and more in line with the rest of the world. He still had a while to go before declaring his own war on Marley. All in due time.

So that he can make everyone proud and ensure freedom for his people.

\-----

Sasha Blouse was a believer even, no, especially after the Shiganshina Battle, that their old friend was still out there. Nobody would believe her, so she learned to drop it and keep to herself. They kept telling her "The vast majority of the entire Regiment was killed that day. There was only nine of us left after what happened there. There's no way someone who went missing months before we had that battle survived past it."

They told her it was all just a coping mechanism due to losing a close friend.

But she knows for a fact what she saw. The whole Survey Corps was completely decimated, sure. Hundreds of people laid down their lives to protect Eren and the others so they can go to the basement. Even Commander Erwin passed on, because it was either him or Armin that was to be saved with that titan serum Levi had with him.

She saw someone cleaning up titans, and that gave one man, Floch, the chance to bring Erwin back so he might be saved. 

Someone who moved like Captain Levi, a quick whirlpool that spat out titan blood and removed the last of the stragglers that could have threatened the survivors. But it wasn't the Captain. She even asked him, and at that time he was out of gas after fighting the Beast Titan and escaping to that rooftop with the others. And it wasn't Mikasa either, for the nearly exact same reasons.

There was only one other that could hunt like that and was not accounted for. At that point, she hadn't been accounted for for nearly a year. It was 852. She was finally able to make people start to consider it the next year. 853. When other people sighted a similar figure zipping along the walls and killing Titans in close proximity to populated areas, other people's word can now back it up.

But the higher ups didn't believe in "miracles" like that. It was probably just off-duty veteran scouts taking individual, isolated actions against the age-old enemy.

Eren, before he left, even told her to stop it because its only getting her hopes up. The present day and protecting Queen Historia was more important. As were the missions like the one he was on, committing espionage and discovering the secrets of Marleyan Operations so they can identify weak points. Weak points more metaphorical or philosophical than the weak point of a Titan's nape.

~~~~~~

Mikasa Ackerman held onto the book. All of the years exactly like Eren said, divulging to the others the parts he'd mention she could briefly in their letters. It became like the scarf to her all over because Eren trusted her with it. Every night she would read through, smiling and even laughing at insightful and funny passages, and getting emotional reading the descriptions of the tragedies faced in her peers lives.

It made her feel close to it's writer, someone who she already grew fond of before that fateful day. It was like she never even left. Mikasa could tell from the way it was written how much everyone meant to their friend. Especially Eren, Armin, and herself. There was the hometown connection that few others shared. Her drive to get back at the Armored and Colossal Titans, the traitors, was intense and so was her drive to protect Eren. 

A good portion of the entries were dedicated to how much Eren inspired her. The reason to become a soldier? Eren. Joining Survey Core? Eren. Glowingly writing about how him and the two others were to be the future of humanity and being thankful that she could also be a part of it.

The last entry stuck with Mikasa. The finish was defiant. Scribbled on the final page was a few quotes attributed to their higher ups and a simple statement:

"To represent humanity, I will fight until the bitter end. I will go out taking down as many of these monsters as possible. If I don't make my last stand. Our kind will not be able to because I will have failed in keeping the light of hope alive. Those others from Shiganshina, without those three, that hope will be totally snuffed from existence. You only lose at the point you stop fighting. I won't stop."

Powerful, moving sentiments. Even looking back on it now that it's known Titans are also humans, and that it's Eldians, not all of humanity as once thought, that were in danger of being wiped out by a rival empire. It was like it was a time capsule representing years in the past. But it gave comfort to Mikasa that had she made it out she would likely be passionately helping everyone out just like back then.

She realized she still missed Becker. And keeps reading that passage on the last page as a reminder why. It helps her not fall into hopelessness. Fuel for motivation in the same vein as Eren's voice calling out to her to fight when it looked like all was lost at Trost. Fuel Eren kept providing with his letters  that he sent back home too. 

In her duties as an officer, she focused on tasks first and foremost. Planning with Armin, checking in with newer batches of recruits. All of it kept her too busy to pay attention to any chatter that wasn't about that or about what was happening in the Marley Mid-East War. So rumors slipped under her radar, it wasn't until preparations for the raid started up that something of that nature caught her attention.

A newspaper with a full shot photograph of someone in a cape emblazoned with the Wings of Freedom out in the distance, rushing away from the camera. And under it an even more interesting headline: "Guardian Angel Subdues Titan Attack in South Wall Maria."

The story  continued: "The Garrison Regiment was put on alert due to a village reporting a potential Outer Wall Breach. They made their way towards the area and all they saw was this. The first photographic evidence of a figure locals in the South have taken to call The Guardian Angel. Rumors of a Survey Core member who appears before the Garrison are even ready, and lightens their work load by a dozen or so giants. The Military has up until this point refused to acknowledge this possibility and still nobody has a name for this hero."

Sasha burst into Mikasa's office triumphantly holding and waving her own copy of the paper and insists once again that this is none other than Alice Becker. "It has to be. I was right. She came back! I've been telling everyone this morning, ever since I found this."

"We don't know that until we figure out who this "Angel" person is." Mikasa said. Staring down at the paper with her chin rested on her hand. "We'll have to go out on a mission."

"We?" potato girl asked. "Like multiple other people or just the two of us?" her accent coming through as she asked this.

"We don't know if this person is Becker, and we don't know if they're actually on our team. It's better that we bring back-up just in case. I'll have you and the others on standby. I'll be researching the patterns and we'll make our move when he next strike is in progress. I'll follow in close, and you can carry the flares. Green is a peaceful resolution and red is for if they start attacking me."

She shoo'd Sasha out and told her to grab 2 or 3 trusted people to tag along. Right now, however, was stressful and busy enough. They'll plan during their free time.

As the door shut, she turned and saw an ink quill and a sheet of paper on a small side desk. She contemplated it briefly and began writing at the top.

**To You, If You're Still Out There**

\------

The Year is 850, The Beast and Armored Titan assisted by the Shifter who has the power of the God of Destruction faced off against the Attack and Jaw Titans alongside their peers in the Survey Corps and Garrison Regiment. All over the female Titan Shifter encased in a crystalline structure after being captured while she was working in Stohess. 

Countless Pure Titans were summoned by the Beast to assist in getting her back. But the efforts of Eren Jaeger and Ymir had put a stop to the Armored titan.

I was tired after fighting off many of them. But the seven of us were chased down by the last of the summoned titans. It was the last stand. I wrote about such in my journal and then left it behind, jumping off the cart and not looking back. All I could here was shouting about how the speed needs to be picked up and shocked gasps as  flew away.

The first few were easy enough to dispatch with a few quick moves. Soon though the numbers were overwhelming, and they were all turned to me. Exactly as I wanted. No Titan should follow my friends. I was nothing more than bait, titan fodder, to be eaten when I was out of energy to take them down. But then something odd happened.

I was badly hurt, and I was still fighting for my life. My gears hooks were jammed after being swatted down by one of the writhing Titans that surrounded me in that moment. One of them grabbed me and it did just paused and looked at me. It didn't attack, but the others still looked like they would as I was their squirming in its grip. The sound of the cart and horses completely gone and faded, out of sight and earshot. 

It seemed to regard me in thought, hair darkened by splotches of blood from an injury I sustained and tons of sweat. caking elsewhere.

I had my hands on the hilt of my blades but just looked down, not fighting. I didn't know what would happen if I hurt this one by trying to fight back. It put me in it's mouth but it...

It didn't swallow. I couldn't see, it was darkness save for the gaps in the teeth looking like the bars of a prison. This one was an abnormal for sure, but it didn't even act like the other abnormals I'd met after catching them for Hange. It was a lot more like... like the talking titan allegedly spotted by Ilse Langnar, but even that close parallel did not do this justice. 

It spit my out into its hand and placed me on a super thick tree branch. I made sure to take note. It was about 6 meters tall. Had gray spots in an otherwise yellowish facial hair. Bald. I put this one in my memory for later, I had no journal to write down the details at the time, and could barely move even if I had kept it. I fell asleep fast and when I woke up I didn't see it again. I was lost in some forest, it felt like the walk was many hours so I could feasibly be anywhere within the walls. 

I soon realized I had a throbbing migraine and it felt like I've dislocated something. My arms were covered in scars that were closed up and scabbed with leftover blood. My eyepatch hanging around my neck like a locket, the cold night air giving even more odd feelings, almost freezing the glass eye and the scars around it normally kept hidden.

My legs weren't faring much better judging from the tears along the side of my pants legs. Everything stung. I could barely stay awake for more than a few minutes and didn't eat for what felt like days. Until I took a gamble.

You see, someone was out riding a horse through here. I was terribly wounded already and without any possessions or anything in the way of identification outside of my Scouts uniform I jumped out from the tree behind them and heard my landing.

-A terrible CRUNCH-

I landed on the ground in some kind of bush.

The crunch had stopped the passer-by and got me a free one-way ticket to wherever they would take me. 

This was the start of a new story for me. Allowed a second chance at life because of one man and one titan. 

The downside was that I could not go back to my old life and friends. Here's why: this man was an underground criminal and that would make it seem like she defected. As part of the deal that was brokered with him I could leave the Underground City to do missions when I was healed, as long as I did not return to the Scouts in case I let it slip to government officials the extent of this shadowy man's empire.

I would only learn much later that his name was Bonifaz Hackl. And it was through this character I would begin to learn the truth of the world. And not only him, but also from his goons, and from occasional spies from the outside world.

And an interesting associate of his with a familiar name.

Kenny Ackerman, a double agent and member of the Military Police, and allegedly the infamous Serial Murderer known as Kenny The Ripper.

He shared _her_ last name, but I had no way of knowing if this was just a coincidence or if there was a deeper connection that I was missing here...

~~~~~~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just the first chapter in what is planned to be a long saga. The set-up takes place before the Liberio Raid happens, but we'll go back to the past a whole lot and explore some during-time-skip era before moving onward to meet up to the points in the (as of this writing) latest chapters of the manga. I have an ending in mind already that is a different vision from how Isayama will do things as his story wraps up, and I'll likely finish this only after he has his.
> 
> Been enjoying myself with the Final Battle Edition for the game, which adds season 3 of the anime to the story, but it keeps the cliffhanger about the Nameless Hero left open. That's probably for the best, as it allows me to answer the burning questions my own way!


	2. Those Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reminiscing soldiers and one woman's new duties.
> 
> And a sighting of an Angel sooner than expected, in the middle of preparations for something else.

"Jean! Connie! I need you two for something!" Sasha shouted, barging into the HQ lounge in order to grab her long time friends, now captains of their own squads, and pull them away from whatever they were currently doing, which in this moment luckily seemed to be absolutely nothing.

"Sheesh, calm down will you, you're going to bust my eardrums" Jean complained.

"Zip it Horseface." Connie shot back, "Clearly it's important."

The girl nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mikasa wants us on a mission. We're going to find an old friend." she said, shoving the paper with the story in both of their faces.

"A-are you really on about this shit again potato girl?" Jean complained. "It's been 4 years. You don't see me running around claiming the Guardian is actually Marco, now do you? I got over that. As best I could anyway... you've just gone mad as of late."

Sasha groused and smacked him with the now rolled up paper. "We're going out now, to do some research in the Regiment archives and hopefully in some libraries. It will be time consuming, but I'll get a head start on it and you go find Hange and get her to help us track Alice down."

Jean wanted to complain some more but Connie put a hand on his shoulder. "If this is an officially sanctioned mission, then it means that we need to take the possibility seriously. It seems outlandish but dude, for the longest time we were all brainwashed to believe that Titans had nearly wiped out all life on this planet. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined those things were even human like us, and yet they are."

Jean conceded with a quick "Touche" and split off with Connie in search of Commander Hange Zoe.

Sasha took a horse and rushed out to a library now being run by another old friend.

"Daz!" she shouted, running up to him sorting books after having finally reached her destination. The spikey-haired man had quit being a soldier years ago, deciding he just wasn't cut out for that life after witnessing the battle of Trost. He stuck around in the Garrison Regiment for just a short while after that and then took up a quiet life as a librarian. He wouldn't be eaten by any books, so it was the best decision he made in his entire life.

"Daz! Do you have my folder?" she asked. "It's time. I finally got my pay-off and we're restarting the search and rescue operation for Alice Becker of the 104th Cadet Corps."

He looked surprised. "You actually got someone with authority to approve that?"

"Well, kind of. Mikasa was promoted and she is helping me organize this. I sent Jean and Connie out to get Hange's word and assistance in putting the final touches on that plan I've been drafting."

"I'm glad I could prove useful in a non-combat role for you, Ms. Blouse."

"No problem, comrade." she gave him a salute and he brought her to a locked back room and pulled out a black folder stuffed with papers from a low to the ground desk drawer.

He stuttered. "Th-there, I k-kept it nice and safe. It's been waiting for you."

She took it in one hand and pulled him into a big hug with her other arm and started tearing up. Infectious, the crying soon spread to Daz.

"Damn. I wouldn't even be here if she didn't save my hide during Trost, and after that when she was one of the scouts that was hand picked to help some Garrison missions while I was there."

"Me too. Sometimes I wonder how I got into the top 10 but Becker of all people didn't."

"You guys were stacked. Hey, give my regards to the rest. And uh, if you get an update on this Marley stuff please do tell me about it."

They broke the embrace and Sasha waved him goodbye, tucking the folder in a safe bag held around her shoulders by a strap and hopping back onto the horse she rode into town on.

~~~~~~~

I have now served under Hackl in the Underground for around 4 years. It is 854, and having proven myself driven and loyal to him he has loosened the leash he has on me. It took many months but having brought him in many lucrative deals of all kinds of unsavory types of deals. Assassination? Yup. Kidnapping and torture? Not above it at all. I get sick with myself, and sick to my stomach thinking about this. And the worst part is when the robbery and killings don't net him enough cash, the middle-aged overweight mob boss had me walk the streets and sell "services". I was guilty over this, but I did it.

And it wasn't always repugnant. Some of the poor people who came to me just needed some kind of release and companionship. It was a shame that would never happen, I did my best but just can't give it to them at the end of the day. I told the ones I trusted about how much I disliked being put in this position, and mentioned that I had wanted to be with someone who was now very far out of reach from me, and didn't think anybody else would work.

At least that fat bastard I work for keeps up on my medicine and vaccinations for anything I might catch "in the line of duty." Absolutely disgusting.

I've gone back to keeping notes on all the new people I've encountered. And on the rumors I've been passed along. And about my excursions to the outer walls to kill titans and reminisce about where I was before.

I may have lost everything, twice at two different points in my life, but as I had before I just built back up again.

And of course I couldn't talk about this without going into Kenny Ackerman, who was foundational in helping me deal with a lot of the changes I faced, at least until his death after he apparently got caught up in a scuffle involving Rod Reiss' Titan and my former Scout Regiment peers. He wasn't the only one I'd end up caring in some capacity for.

I remember him telling me one day, while drunk in a buzzing seedy crime den, that he was garbage and left behind nothing but a trail of suffering and regret. He abandoned Levi when the boy was still young because he wasn't cut out to be a parent. And he reckoned, he wasn't cut out to be much of a leader either, because he wasn't empathetic like his old friend, the deceased King Uri Reiss. Despite this he was somehow given a secret high-level MP squad and a high position among the Underground's criminals.

And that he could see something in my eye and face that resembled the man he had been devoted to protecting. A glimmer of something, and that it was like he was still present in spirit. I consciously tried to wrote off a lot of this as drunk rambling, but it always bothered me, the fact that he probably truly meant  that.

It hurt to lose him, so I cried. I cried in front of Hackl and his goons and he told me I'd get over it in time, and that he especially suggested finding and killing the person who was responsible for his death. It was one of the few times I was broken down enough to let him see it, and the fat bastard reveled in each second of it. He knew that whoever it was from the Scouts I would never want to hurt any of them.

One day, not too long ago, he gave me intel from another one of his agents... that the scouts were going to gather soon in Shiganshina, my old home town. Mikasa and Armin and Eren's hometown. And from there they would exit the walls, commandeer Marley's survey ships and launch a sneak attack. The exact details were not yet in place, but apparently Eren was already deep in Marley and had gained their a while ago. What people like him were doing with this info was deeply concerning, but it was a blessing to me regardless. An opportunity I had to take up.

I accepted. Not to ruin it or kill my friends, like I'm sure Hackl would have wanted since he kept suggesting it any time I displayed any emotions about them when he was able to see or hear it. But to enact my own plan, one that formed as he told me. Giving him a wide grin and a cackle I say just one word hunched over in that darkened room. "Excellent."

Now I knew what I'd spend the next weeks preparing for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hange Zoe was approached by Connie and Jean while drinking some tea with Captain Levi, speaking about future plans and their pasts. How the could make it so that Erwin, Petra, Mike, and the others would not have died in vain. Their dreams now had to be the leadership duo's dreams. A burden placed there by Erwin on the day that he left this world. 

The young men slipped in through the door, hoping to go unnoticed for now, in case something important was happening in the room. "Oi. What are you two coming in here for?" questioned the second in command.

Conny spoke up. "A-ah, Captain, Commander. We'd like to ask for official approval on a mission."

Jean nodded "With my authority as a Commanding Officer now, and at the prior approval of Mikasa, I would like to request it. Sasha has provided some evidence indicating this should be a priority."

"Tch. Spit it out, what;s she want?" Levi was clearly already tired of the uncharacteristic beating around the bush after only a few seconds.

"W-well, she wishes to investigate sightings of a so-called Guardian Angel."

"And why's that?" the raven-haired man's eyebrow quirked up as he asked. "That's some urban legend, isn't it?"

"Because the most likely candidate is Alice."

Hange's eye lit up, "You mean that? You better..." she slid out of her chair and sighed, pacing over to the two young men. "You better not be joking. Otherwise I will throw you in the clink." her glasses ended up pushed and kept up on her forehead indicating some level of seriousness as she put hands on both their shoulders. The switch was flipped quickly back to normal (well, normal is a relative term when it came to Commander Zoe) and she started getting giddy about the possibility, and showing her protege new things like the Thunder Spears that had been developed in her absence.

All of this extracted a sigh out of Levi. This drew Hange's attention back to him "Why don't you bring out that teacup to celebrate?"

The short captain shook his head. "Hmph. I don't want to rain on your parade or anything Commander but what happens if she's dead?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Sasha had arrived and gotten the okay from the Commander without any resistance. She knew Hanje missed their friend the same way. So the plans were put into action. Patrols were sent to go around the three walls to report back if any new sightings pop up.

But none did. Not for weeks. Jean was already tired and growing impatient, drifting slowly away from this mission. Mikasa too. All the higher ranks were reminding Sasha again of when they kept bluntly telling her to give up, but less open about it and more... dejected.

She almost felt guilty for believing and not just giving up like they clearly had, and were about to do again.

Operations were shifting in full gear towards launching an expedition across the see to go to Marley using their stolen boats. There was no time or resources any more to go towards her mission. She broke down a day before they were to leave to Shiganshina. From there it was planned they'd go south and board the boats, to go off and onto this mission. As many people as possible were wanted.

Crying to memories of the two of them as young cadets and new Scouts practicing hunting. Laughing at jokes. How she was helped to be more comfortable, how non-Judgemental of her accent that girl was. She was found by Armin and brought into a comforting hug, without any questions. And she spilled it all to him, about how everyone's losing faith again and how crazy she must seem these days. It was good having someone like him still around for things like this.

It was officially put on hold that day. And she could barely fall asleep due to the stress. It was going to be a hard day.

But when the day came. They were all riding horses down the center street of Shiganshina district when suddenly from behind some homes to the side of them someone else in a Scout's cloak flew over their heads, causing all the soldiers in the area to heed and stop their companion animals, necks craning back up to look at what just whizzed by.

Hange Zoe raised a hand out in front, bringing the whole formation to a halt. "Scouts! Is everyone who's supposed to be in this party accounted for?" Squad leads checked in and found none of their people had deserted their position. Not a single soul was unaccounted for.

The Commanders breathe caught in the back of her throat. It had to be real. It was a tense few minutes, and she wondered it maybe it had been Sasha freaking out and trying to complete her mission idea frantically. But no, she was right here with the other former 104th Cadets, who'd been moved to the front upon the first sighting.

"There." Levi said calmly, pointing up at the very top of the wall. "That's them. Now go complete the mission. I'll keep everyone else back here and tell them to rest early, we can regroup and go to the boats tomorrow." he gave the cadets a small smile before turning his horse.

They rushed forth on there own for a few more blocks before dismounting and getting into formation while their strongest soldier, Mikasa, went out front and everyone else took positions on various roofs surrounding the different directions the "Angel" could have possibly used as an escape route, meaning that should they run, one of them would give chase.

From west to east: Jean, Connie, Sasha, Hange, and Armin.

The sun was high in the sky, casting a shadow from the mysterious guest who seemed to be pacing, as though they noticed they were followed and were trying to think... of something.

Mikasa's hooks grabbed the top edge of the wall and she ran, climbing up it with ease.

Once at the top of the gate where this story began, she saw a back turned to her. A ragged cloak falling apart slowly, but unmistakably marked with the Wings of Freedom.

"Alice Becker?" Mikasa gave a weary salute, hoping her voice and action would cause a response. In the moment of ensuing silence she had realized how beautiful the day was. Peaceful, blue skies above, birds flying unabated. She could hear trains running from here, and the aforementioned birds singing.

And a light sobbing as the figure dropped to their knees and started turning around on all fours, not making it very far before the sobs grew louder. Instinctively Mikasa dropped a knee herself and embraced the figure with a hug. Their hood was still up and they were looking down at the concrete wall they were stood above.

The Angel composed herself and simply said. "Mikasa Ackerman." as a response, slowly getting up with her help and pulling the hood down to reveal scraggly dirty blonde hair that was now longer than it once was, tied up now in a ponytail. A light green eye, the source of the tears, even with the crying their was a deeper look of pain in it. And her face, slight, barely there red-brown scars lined the person's cheeks.

Even a few years older and looking like a stray cat that's been in multiple near-death fights, this person before her, in this embrace was unmistakable.

With Alice still holding on her shoulder she freed up an arm and reached for the green "Mission Complete" flare and watched as it drifted off and the others all made a beeline towards the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be titled "Night of the Raid" and will feature parts of that, and some of the events leading up to it not contained in this chapter.


	3. Night of the Raid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 854: Zeke informs his Warriors of bad news and his plan to re-start the Paradis Operations, The Scouts plan to launch a mission to Marley, Eren meets an old friend before starting his rampage as the Attack Titan, and the first mission since that fateful day is handed down to a re-emergent hero. 
> 
> Contains scenes based on manga chapter 95 & 98-100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the notes at the end! I'm going to throw a little bit of a curveball with the next one.

Reiner and Gabi showed their passes to the guards outside and entered HQ. The walk there had been tense, with Gabi again talking about how she would like to inherit his Armored Titan and accusing him of lying and hiding information about what happened while he was on the island. They encountered Falco and the other Cadets out in the field complaining about being called in to class.

After greeting and saying later to the kids, Reiner met with Zeke, Porco, Pieck, and other higher ups and Titan Shifters. On his way there, he thought about how Falco was always so insistent he wanted to become the Armored Titan instead of Gabi. 

Zeke was somber as he began speaking to the group. "For the past many years, Marley has come out on top in an age of struggles for resources using our Titans to silence whatever nations try to oppose us. This has led to the world's hatred of Eldians to extend to levels not seen since the age of the Empire. We have served Marley in order to atone and show remorse for our past. We were not wrong for doing this... but, around the world the voices calling for the extermination of the Eldian people have only grown louder. In addition, recent battles have shown that soon conventional weaponry will be able to outperform our Titans. In other words, it won't be long until Eldians lose our tactical value. Once we do, Marley will no longer be able to maintain its power as a nation."

Reiner was tense listening to this. It seems like life was just one form of torture after another. He'd escaped hell on earth only for it to keep following him.

Zeke continued, "The world is now saying there is no reason to apply the concept of human rights to Eldians. This is a threat to our very existence."

"Is there a way to solve this?" asked Colt, Falco Grice's older brother and next in line to Warchief Zeke's Beast Titan.

"There is only one way. We must continue with our plan to capture the Founder and take Paradis and its resources. This will allow Marley to maintain power, and also solve the looming crises that government over there poses to the world."

Pieck, curled up on a nearby couch, then spoke up. "Even if the plan succeeds, it still wouldn't balance out the historical feelings towards Eldians, considering how bad it's gotten now."

"Exactly right, Pieck! What's important is the story we tell. So we must prepare a script leading up to us taking the Founder. First, we'll tell the world about just how much of a threat that island is. And every story needs a narrator. I have chosen the Tybur Family, the keepers of the War Hammer Titan."

Surprised muttering filled the room.

"Yes, the Tybur family. They were the first Aristocrats to oppose King Fritz during the Great Titan War. As honorary Marleyans they have stayed out of war and politics, but they have agreed to take action due to the fears about the future of Marley and Eldia."

Concerns were raised by Porco because of the Tybur's lifestyles and history of never using the War Hammer to protect Marley. But Reiner knew what must be done.

"If this protects our Motherland, then I am all for it. We Warriors must work together with the Tybur family, and act as a cornerstone in restoring Marley."

Then, Zeke drops the fact that there was to be a festival in Liberio. The Tybur family was going to use this as a chance to declare that Paradis will be under Marleyan control within the next year.

That bombshell was to change everything. Reiner knew in the moment that he must ensure the plan would work this tine, because of how the public would react should the promise go unfulfilled. He'd have to be at the peak of his abilities. Prove his prior embarrassing near-defeat at the hands of the Mid-East Alliance was a fluke. And to protect the young warriors from ever dealing with the kind of horror he had faced on "Paradise".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 "Mr. Kruger." A young Falco Grice called. "I... I wanted to ask you about something."

Eren ran a hand through his long, dark hair and turned slightly to face the boy with a smile. "Hey Falco. What's bugging you?" he reached out and ruffled Falco somewhat. "You can ask me anything."

"What if I don't get the Armored Titan, and fail to protect Gabi?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah." he chuckled a little. "You'll be fine. It's for the best that a kid like you have a long, healthy life."

"But Mr Kruger-" the boy protested. Only for Eren to reach down and ruffle his hair. 

Kruger shook his head. "I just want you to live your best life kid. And it's up to you to make it whether or not you get chosen."

The blond looked lost in thought for a short moment, until a lightbulb practically shown above his head. "Mr. Kruger. Do you know Captain Braun? Gabi's older cousin?"

The man chuckled. "We were old friends, yes." He ruffled the young boy's hair. "I'd like to see him again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard her voice again and I dropped to my knees and sobbed, no longer able to keep composure. This felt too surreal. I could wake up and realize that this too, was just a dream, like any other my brain cooked up because of loneliness. Other voices soon joined and made a chorus. I hadn't seen any of them in so long. It was noticeably lacking in one person: Eren Jaeger. They were going to try and retrieve him. I wanted to come with. I was ready to leave all of this behind and go see somewhere else finally. That would be freedom.

"It's her, I knew it!" Sasha was ecstatic. "I- hey, is- is she crying?"

I buried myself in the crook of Mikasa's neck and let out some ugly sounds with my arms around her. 

"Oh my..." Hange muttered and quickly took to putting her hand on my shoulder, trying to give reassurance. I didn't even need to look up to imagine the worried expression on her face. "It's okay. Let it out. You're okay now."

Jean and Connie stayed back and started talking among themselves. I couldn't make out all of it but it seems they were in disbelief, as shocked as I was at least. Armin took all of my attention now as he joined the others around me and rested his hand next to Hange's which got me to look up.

I took a look up finally and I let go slightly and rubbed the tears out of my eye. "I must look like a logging accident come to life."

"That's putting it lightly. You look like you were digested and spat out by titans." Connie commented bluntly, before Jean angrily told him now wasn't the time.

I laugh. "No, leave him be Jean. He's on the right track, something similar did actually happen to me."

"Wait- did you survive getting eaten? How did you manage?" the boy from Ragako asked.

"No." I rest the side of my cheek on Mikasa's and keep looking around at everyone else. "A Titan put me in its mouth and saved me from the other titans on that day."

Hange lit up. "A titan saved you? I'd like to hear more on that, when you're ready." I got a good look at her and realized she, too, had lost an eye. Now that was an amusing twist of fate. Someone who was such an influence, now forced by the cruel world to end up injured similarly to her lost pupil while said pupil was in exile. 

I commented on it. "Hey, we're matching now!" It was funny, yet it hurt. I could only imagine what everyone had went through. 

Hange burst out laughing and ruffled my hair. "C'mon. Let's get you back down. I'll explain anything you want to know back at the hotel we're going to rest in." I broke embrace and followed them on the way down to the rooftops, and down to the center of the city. Just following along and quietly smiling back at everyone, not knowing what to say. I wasn't one for talking, writing being more my thing. 

The fact this was real sinking in slowly let me know that it would be fine not to tell them just yet. 

~~~~~~~~~ 

Eren waited for the festival, under the complex waiting for an appointment to arrive, and the door slowly opened. 

At the same time, Reiner Braun walked into a room and looked around, spotting a man with crutches and long hair, bandaged from head to toe. "“It’s been 4 years, huh. Reiner? I’m glad that you could return to your hometown.”

Reiner froze, part in shock and part in fear. He didn't know why Eren was here, but he had a sinking feeling in his gut. It reminded of the old man who hung himself, who told them a story right before he wrapped the noose around his neck. Something Bert always had bad dreams about. His theory was that the old man wanted somebody to judge him.

Falco stuttered, confused. "U-um, uh? I thought you said you two were old friends? Right, Mr Kruger?"

"Yes. Thank you for making this meeting happen Falco. There's just a lot of catching up to do. It's hard to figure out where to start."

"...There's no way." Reiner muttered.

"Have a seat, Reiner. This is a good one." Jaeger insisted, pointing out a chair directly across from him. "You can probably hear all the commotion up there. Above us is just a regular building where people live. A lot of its residents are looking out the windows, waiting for the curtains to rise. Just above us" he rose his hand, blood tricking down it.

Reiner freaked out even more, Falco interjecting. "Mr Kruger, did you hurt your hand?"

"It's just a scratch." Eren insisted. "Reiner, please sit down."

Braun was visibly shaking now, Eren was back in his life and not only that, but he threatening to massacre civilians in an instant.

Falco caught on to the tension and tried excusing himself, but Eren told him he must listen to his story too.

"Falco, do as he says." Reiner raised his hand up, pale in his face and eyes wide.

Outside, trumpets could be heard. The beginning of the announcement was about to happen. The grand finale to the days festivities. 

"Eren... how did you come here?"

"Really? That's the first question you ask me?"

"What... what did you come here to do?"

Falco sat back, biting his lip. This wasn't going the way he thought it would, and he was starting to regret it. 

"The same thing you did." Eren told Reiner, eye piercing the blond man's. 

"Wuh... wuh..." Reiner buried his face in his hands. breaking out in a full nervous sweat and nearly being brought to tears."

""Why?" Do you really not get it?" Eren leans in towards Reiner. "Because I'm the same as you. I didn't have any other choice. That's why."

The music outside goes silent and the crowd cheers, cameras are flashing as they welcome Willy Tybur. 

"Hear that? Sounds like it's starting. Let's listen in." Eren said with Falco baffled and slightly afraid, and Reiner a complete wreck.

Tybur began his speech. "Once upon a time, about 100 years ago, The Eldian Empire was using the power of the Titans to rule the world." A projector showed an image in black and white, an artists drawing of Titan's consuming humans as the drum core loudly banged their instruments. "From the appearance of their Ancestor Ymir, to today, who knows how many countless lives have been lost to the titans."

He took a deep breathe. "The latest research indicates that humanity's population today could go extinct three times over, and it still wouldn't reach the number of casualties they have caused. The Titans took from us countless races and cultures out from our history... These slaughters are now humanity's history, and the path of history chosen by the Eldian Empire."

A tense silence fell over everyone, but most especially Eren and Reiner as the two took great interest in what Tybur had to say.

"Then once the Eldians ran out of enemies, they turned on each other. That was the beginning of the Great Titan War. The families that held the 8 titans shed one another's blood in an endless cycle of betrayal, of conspiracy." The projector showed an image of the King gazing upon members of the eight warring houses from the Titan War, unable or unwilling to do anything much to stop them.

"There was a Marleyan, the Great Helos, who saw a way to put an end to this." It switched to a man in a hat and military uniform, the aforementioned Helos. "He deftly manipulated information and made sure the Eldians turned on each other time and time again. He joined up with the Tybur family, and they finally expelled King Fritz, who was previously said to have been unbeatable. They chased him to an island."

The crowd gave a raucous standing ovation to this part of the story. Their heroes and the deeds that made them such inspiring all. Marleyans and ambassadors from other states alike.

"Though the King retreated to the Island of Paradis, he still holds his power. Tens of millions of titans lay in wait on that island, with the power to crush the entire world!" 

The crowd goes silent save a few gasps. Looks of horror quickly spreading among them. 

"At the moment our world continues to exist. That is by pure chance. This is the only explanation The Titan Research Society can provide. While Marley, our motherland, sent four titans to the island to deal with this threat. It was only the Armored Titan we sent that returned. We have sent 32 ships out to Paradis in the last several years. And every last one of them has vanished. The Eldian Empire, the dark side of humanity's history, is alive and well."

"Hear that Reiner? That's why you destroyed the wall wasn't it? You were trying to save the world. Four clueless kids sent off to that island. You still don't know a thing."

Falco slowly pieced it together. Four years ago. The Vice Captain was on his mission to Paradis. But the Mr. Kruger he knew, couldn't have possibly been someone that came from that island. He still didn't want to believe it. 

Tybur's voice outside started to ring out again after a short lull to let the speech so far sink in. "Let us begin tonight's main subject. The story I've told you so far are facts that everyone knows. But the facts are slightly different. These a memories that my family has passed down for generations together with the War Hammer Titan. Today these facts will be revealed to the public for the first time ever. Facts about the Great Titan War."

He took a deep breathe and surveyed the crowd. "Who exactly ended the Titan War? Was it Helos? Or the Tybur family? It was neither."

The crowd began muttering. Surprise filled the arena and from above. It almost drowned out Willy's voice.

"It was the 145th Eldian King, Karl Fritz who had saved our world from the war. Even before he inherited the Founding Titan, he lamented the brutal history of Eldia. He grew tired of the ugly war between his countrymen and his heart ached for Marley in particular. A nation under constant tyranny from his people. When he inherited his Titan he made a deal with the Tybur family to offer himself as a way to end the Eldian Empire. He conspired with the Tyburs to present Helos as the hero Marleyans needed. And then he left, taking as many Eldians as he could to an island and enclosed them within three walls."

He walked closer to the crowd. 

"When he left the continent, he said that anybody who threatened the peace would be met with countless titans as retribution." He raised his hand dramatically. "But he did not mean this! In order for his successors to inherit his philosophy even after his death, he had renounced all war. Only royal bloods can use the full powers of the Founding Titan with full control over all other titans, and this vow would only affect his future lineage."

"Because of this vow, Karl Fritz's ideology is passed down to each new King of the Walls. This is why the Titans have yet to come from that island to attack us. In other words, it was the detestable king of the walls that protected this world. It was his heartfelt desire for peace. He had the following to say:"

_If Marley grows strong and wishes to take the lives of the Royal Family or its Founding Titan. I accept it. If Marley wishes to exterminate all Eldians. I accept it. That is how grave Eldia's crimes are. They cannot be atoned for, and never will be. Eldians... Titans... should never have existed. I accept the responsibility  of righting this wrong. But... until that day comes, I wish to live inside the walls. I wish to live peacefully and enjoy this brief Paradise, this world without conflict. Please. I ask only that you grant me this._

 "Those were the final words of Karl Fritz."

~~~~~~~~~~

 I woke up wrapped in a warm fluffy blanket and panicked slightly. I was still convinced everything I'd experienced today, hell, the last month or so, was all just a dream I was unfortunate enough to leave. I shot up and looked around at my surrounding. A small couch was under me and the lights were nothing but dim lanterns outside on the streets. I could have easily been back in some criminal organizations safe house.

But Hange Zoe rushed up to me, I wasn't awake enough to be sure from where, and quickly took to my side and wrapped an arm around me like old times. 

My breathing slowed and I whispered wide-eyed at her. "You're real. You're actually here."

"Of course I am silly! Did you have some kind of nightmare that we weren't reunited?"

"Then all of the others?"

"Yep! All of them are real too. I'm staying with you to watch over your condition. There's wow... a lot to talk about."

"I'm so sorry." I started to cry, leaning into her shoulder. "I couldn't come back, even though I really wanted to. There's somebody who wouldn't allow it, and he's going to be pissed off if here hears about me being here with you like this."

"Oh no I'm not- oohhh" realization crosses her face. I'm not sure what she thought I meant exactly, but now she followed up with another question. "A criminal?"

"He's as much of a criminal as I am, yes." I pouted. Hackl wouldn't find out for another few days likely, but word would go around and reach one of his carriers and eventually the big man himself. I'd like to find a way to get away before then.

"That doesn't make you a bad person, Alice." she rubbed my shoulder.

"It means I'm weak."

She gasped, offended. "Alice! You do know that Levi grew up committing crimes on the streets of the Underground, right? And he's a great person, a strong person, like you. I don't care about what you might have done that's caused you to say that about yourself, I know you and what you're capable of. You're great."

"He climbed out of it, and I fell into it. He was born into that world, and worked to leave and improve this one. I was born in this one and I let it down. I deserted the Scouts..." I looked downward, forehead creased in anticipation for her to shout down my self-loathing. But she didn't. What she did instead was hug me closer and coo.

"Oh honey, no. We're so unbelievably happy to have you back dear." she put a hand under my chin and made me look up at her. "You're just what we need now, just like then."

I swallow and stuttered. "Y-You are?"

"Yes. You protected so many people, even from the shadows you continued to do your best and protect everyone. I understand why you couldn't re-emerge. You shouldn't let whatever that man did to you or told you affect your thinking like this. Your judgement is clouded. You're the most selfless person I know..." she took off the goggles from her forehead and tossed them onto the coffee table. "And I don't say that lightly."

"Hange..." 

"Anyway, Alice. We're getting ready to save Eren from Marley. As your new Commander, and as a mentor, and friend... I want you to please come with us. We start on the way over tomorrow, I know that's not a lot of time to rest or get re-acquainted with everyone properly... but on the way there I'll help train you on the basics of our newer weapons."

I sniffle and bite my lip. I knew exactly in that moment I had to do it for everyone. Putting aside the guilt of vanishing, the guilt of aiding criminal enterprises that hurt people, I knew that I could make things right by joining this next mission. It would also thankfully get me away from Hackl and his goons for a while, they could be dealth with appropriately upon the return home.

And I could see more of this cruel, ruthless, and beautiful world. With the people I care about and love. Freedom is around the corner now.

"I'll do it for all of you, Commander. Mikasa, Eren, and everyone who needs me. That's a promise." 

~~~~~~~~~

The ambassadors were beginning to question whether Paradis was really as much of a threat to world peace as they'd assumed it to be. The chatter continued a prolonged several minutes. Until Willy continued his speech.

"But, there is a catch. In recent years, there was a violent rebellion on the Island that has eliminated Karl Fritz's ideology. The Founder was stolen away by a certain man and the world is in danger once more, because someone has come to rise against Fritz's peaceful world. A man who rebels against Peace. His name..."

A spiky-haired, sharp toothed shadow fell over the screen. A menacing looking titan. Eren's titan, twisted to fit Tybur's narrative. Shown right behind him in all it's monstrous glory, and its newfound infamy.

"His name is Eren Jaeger."

 He walked up and down the stage, spilling all kinds of knowledge. He paused to let the journalists catch up with everything, he knew they had to write it down. That was their job. Even though everyone right now in Liberio was nothing more than bait to lure a certain someone's attack.

"And we, the Tybur family, are no saviors of humanity. After the War, we sided with Karl Fritz to ensure our safety. We sold the Eldians to Marley and then despite being Eldians, we enjoyed lives free of persecution. We were respected by the rest of the world. I learned these facts when I became the head of the Family. These facts sent me reeling, like the ground under me was quaking. These hard to accept facts that said the Tybur family... was nothing more than a punch of petty thieves growing fat on unearned honor."

~~~~

Meanwhile, soldiers stationed around the area approached Commander Magath.

"Sir the warriors and the soldiers who went to go look for them have gone missing!"

"So it begins..." the commander responded, eyes narrowing as he looked back down over the crowd for anything unusual. He ordered: "Send in the reserves! Search for them!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

~~~~

"I stand here today to shed my false glory." Tybur announced. "Because I now understand the grave danger this world is in. This problem affects me, and everyone else living in this world. Karl Fritz used the power of the Titans to erect three walls, named after the Daughters of Ymir. Wall Maria, Wall Rose, and Wall Sheena. And to do so, he created massive Titans to act as his shield and his spear. These walls must be filled with millions of Colossus Titans. However, the the Royals never used them due to the vow to renounce war. According to reports from our Armored Titan, Reiner Braun, the power to unleash these titans nor resides in Eren Jaeger, so the Rumbling looms and threatens to kill us all.

That is the threat that is posed to us by Paradis."

~~~~~~

"You... you tricked me!" Falco sniffled, eyes shooting daggers at Mr. Kruger, who he now knew was none other than Eren Jaeger.

Eren started to regenerate his lost leg right in front of the other two he'd brought down to this room. Steam rising and slowly filling up the room the moment he unraveled his bandages. 

"After you encouraged me... I... respected you... but this whole time." tears rolled down the boy's cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Falco. You saved me."

Then, a realization hit. "Where did the letters go to? You said they were going to your family!"

"They went to my friends." Eren said, bluntly. He stood up and started stretching out his newly formed leg on his chair. 

"That means... I... no." Falco whimpered, sliding his back down the wall and becoming riddled with guilt as he pulled at his own short hair. "I can't believe this... I helped a traitor."

Just then, attention in the room was brought back to the words of the Nobleman speaking across the way. 

"In other words, Eren Jaeger could potentially activate this Rumbling. While we saw the rise of weapons that were stronger than the Titans in the last war, there will never, ever be a weapon capable of halting the advance of millions of Colossus Titans. If this rumbling is activated, there will be nothing that we can do about it. It will be the apocalypse. And all that will remain, is for Humanity to flee in terror as we hear the footsteps that signal our end. Before long these giants will trample us, our cities, our entire ecosystem. They will literally flatten the ground. It will be too late. The only way to stop this threat, is to act now."

Not once did Eren stop staring into Reiner's eyes. Falco began silently psyching himself up, recovering thanks to Tybur's declaration, he thought about him and Captain Braun stopping Eren. He would prove that he wasn't in league with Jaeger by being the hero that stops him.

That hype lasted until Jaeger spoke more. "Willy Tybur is exactly right. I'm the bad guy. I might just destroy the world. But you guys looked like the bad guys to me too, on that day. When the Titans broke down the wall and devastated my home. When my mother was eaten right before my eyes. Ever since that day..."

Reiner had to break eye contact, memories of his time there continuing to flood and swamp him. Guilt. He killed a lot of people, and that's where this was now going.

"Why did that have to happen to innocent people? Why did so many have to be eaten alive? I didn't understand. So why, Reiner? Why was my mom eaten by a titan on that day?"

Braun's heart sank. "Well... because we destroyed the wall."

"And why did you destroy the wall?"

"My mission... we would use the chaos to sneak inside of the walls undetected... to see what the King would do next."

"What was your mission?"

"To retake the founder. Our goal was to save the world." He couldn't stand up straight and confidently say so any more. 

"Oh. It was to save the world? In that case... I guess you didn't have a choice." As he said these words, Eren looked saddened. Sympathetic even. 

Reiner closed his eyes and replied while trying and failing to fight back his tears. "I... remember what you said that day. You said you would make it your mission to ensure we all died the most painful deaths imaginable. That's why you came here, isn't it?"

"Oh did I?." Eren sighed, scratching his beard. "Forget I ever said that."

"Huh?"

"Its true. I did see everything on the other side of the sea as my enemy. Then, I crossed it. I slept under the same roof as the enemies. I ate the same food as them. Reiner, I'm the same as you. Sure, there are people who pissed me off. But there are good people here too. He turned to Falco now, scaring the boy. "Across the ocean, inside the walls. We're all the same. But you guys were taught that the people inside the walls were different from you. That they were Devil spawn. You were still ignorant children, and that was beaten into you by ignorant adults."

Eren Jaeger continued.

"You were just a child. What could you have done to fight that back? Your environment, your history... right, Reiner? It was painful for you this whole time? I think now, I understand that."

Reiner dropped to the ground and began shouting, pounding on it. "NO. NO. You're wrong, Eren." He choked up. "That day... I. The day when Marcel was eaten. Berthold and Annie wanted to abort the mission and go back home. I convinced them not to. I made them continue. I... I wanted to become a hero. That's why I always acted like everyone's big brother! I just wanted..." he sniffled.

"I just wanted somebody to respect me. That wasn't my age or environment. That was ALL my fault. Your mother was eaten by a titan because of me!" he stayed kneeling on the ground, now facing Eren and sobbing. "I can't... I can't stand this any more. Please just kill me. I want to vanish." He closed his eyes again as he groveled at Eren's feet.

Tybur's voice boomed through the auditorium and the streets. "This danger facing our world now, can all be raced back to the existence of Eldians. I... would choose to have never been born, if it was up to me. I've hated my blood... More than anyone else I have wished for the extinction of the Eldians." Tears of passion formed in his eyes as he spoke. "But I do not wish to die. Because, I was born into this world.We may belong to different races and nations but please, if you don't want to die eitherI ask you to lend me your strength and we can put an end to the threat of Paradis! I want you to fight with me against the Devils on that island!!!"

Eren tapped Reiner's shoulder and offered a hand. "Reiner, stand up."

The Vice Captain looked up at his old friend, and reached up. "I get it... I understand now, Eren."

"I was right... I'm the same as you." He said, the firey preaching of Willy Tybur now nearly drowning them out as they spoke to each other.

"I BELIEVE WE CAN BAND TOGETHER IN THE FACE OF THIS POWERFUL ENEMY! WE WILL OVERCOME ANYTHING WHILE WORKING AS ONE!"

"I think we were born this way."

"AS AMBASSADOR FOR THE MARLEYAN GOVERNMENT, I, WILLY TYBUR..."

"Huh?"

"WISH FOR WORLD PEACE!"

"I just keep on moving forward, until the day my enemies are destroyed." A lightning aura began to crackle around Eren as Reiner held and shook his hand. HIs cut open, injured hand. Shock and horror filling him as he realized what was happening.

Reiner dove down and put himself on top of Falco, shielding the boy as an explosion ripped through the foundation of the building.

"THIS IS A MESSAGE TO THE ENEMY FORCES ON PARADIS. WE DECLARE WAR!"

The Attack Titan ripped through the back of the stage, and tossed Willy Tybur into the air. He was dead, eviscerated after being crushed in Eren's hands. This sent the crowd scattering. But it was too late for them. By the time this night was over, the vast majority of them would be dead in the carnage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4: "First Born" Preview:  
> "Many years ago, in 816, a baby was delivered to an orphanage in Trost District. The couple that ran the operation were left with nothing to go off of. No name, no note explaining it's presence. Just a single baby with light colored hair and green eyes sleeping peacefully in a blanket-lined wood basket.
> 
> The couple took the child in and raised her like their own, just like any others under their care. This young girl had no idea otherwise that she was not theirs biologically. Even when she did learn the truth, nobody was the wiser to who she actually was by birth. 
> 
> And she died on that day in Shiganshina in 845 without ever figuring it out"


	4. First Born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A revelation is uncovered, Eren fights the Warhammer, and Mikasa feels things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned I'd be finished with a certain something by the end of august and that fell through unfortunately. I've had to take a mental health break at some point to try and get back creative mojo. As such I'll be finishing that next re:zero fic as soon as I can. Updating this feels like more of a priority since I have more ideas on how to continue writing, you'd think it'd be the other way around tho, since explicit content's not exactly that deep.
> 
> Also school's back in session, less free time in general now.

Queen Historia Reiss felt a bit bored as of late, no longer would she go on adventures with the rest of the Survey Corps, and she had plenty of free time around the castle. This combination led to frequent sessions of reading in libraries on the various royal properties she acquired after the coup d'etat. She would often find secrets kept hidden from all, recorded in the annals that were only accessible to her father Rod before her.

She found a particularly interesting batch of letters containing information she never expected about an old friend. She was composing a letter with the help of a nervous young Military Police officer, who was supposed to deliver it to the commander Hange Zoe. It was certain she was going to eventually find this, but it was a serendipitous coincidence that this had happened right after Zoe sent back a correspondence saying the Scouts were trying to find the person this affected most.

"Many years ago, in 816, a baby was delivered to an orphanage in Trost District. The couple that ran the operation were left with nothing to go off of. No name, no note explaining it's presence. Just a single baby with light colored hair and emerald green eyes sleeping peacefully in a blanket-lined wood basket.

The couple took the child in and raised her like their own, just like any others under their care. This young girl had no idea otherwise that she was not theirs biologically. Even when she did learn the truth, nobody was the wiser to who she actually was by birth.

And she died on that day in Shiganshina in 845 without ever figuring it out"

She sighed and tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear, stopping to let the man write down the information. 

"Queen Historia?"

"Oh, are you ready to continue already?"

"Y-yes ma'am, I'm a fast scribe. It's no problem."

She cleared her throat and sat back, looking out the window beside her, thinking of how everyone is holding up, especially with all of recent years and how much they've changed the whole world as they knew it. "One of the many victims of that tragedy, Esther Grune, was the name she would be known by. Though, had things turned out differently, perhaps she would have been called Esther Reiss, my aunt.

She married a farmboy, listed as Caesar Becker, who came from a family with around a dozen children. The farmboy would move to Shiganshina with her for a stint in the Garrison regiment. He would eventually be honorably discharged and pursue masonry and arts and crafts after leaving his duties as a soldier. They would go on to have a child."

"Queen?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think it would be awkward... these records said the child was a little boy and the one who went missing that day-"

"She was that little boy once."

"Are you sure, I mean I've never heard of that happening."

She rested her cheek on her hand, which was propped up on the windowsill. "Me neither, we're talking about a friend of mine though. One that was also my cousin, as it turned out. I've just come to accept that there's still a lot I need to learn. Now if you don't mind I'd like to continue."

"Yes Miss Reiss, understood."

"The child would survive the two parents after the Attack of 845. In 847, she joined the 104th Cadet Corps alongside other survivors of that day: Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert. Alongside myself and Ymir and everyone else. From the surname of the father, you probably already surmised this child was Alice Becker. With this letter I have a folder of evidence going into more detail. You can decide what to do with this information after you get it. I know how close you two were. Sincerely, Historia."

The man before her bowed and put the letter on top of a folder and wrapped bands around it, putting it away in a satchel. "I'll deliver at once like you asked ma'am."

She turned herself and bowed back. "Thank you, have a safe journey out."

Then she was alone again, just books to keep company with now. And she smiled. She wondered out loud to herself "I wonder if it would be possible to learn this kind of thing about Ymir." She concluded it may not be possible due to the fact if said information did exist it would be in Marley, and it was likely since she knew no other name she simply never had one until that cult chose her. However, that it was okay as it likely wouldn't be as pressing of an issue. Nor would she mind never knowing, it had nothing to do with living for herself like she always spoke of wanting.

She missed Ymir every day. Historia felt a small pang of something else. A sign Ymir was watching over her right at this moment, possibly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was laying down on that seat, curled around a pillow when I woke up. It was dark everywhere now, the middle of the night with all torches dimmed to make it easier to stay asleep. That's when I heard footsteps pacing around close by. I tensed up instinctively and it must have been noted somehow by the pacer, stopping in their tracks. Turns out it was just Hange unable to sleep before the mission. "Don't worry dear, I didn't mean to frighten you at all. It's just bothersome trying to sleep with all that is going on, and what we may be missing."

I sniffed and tried sitting up more, slowly propping myself up properly. I soon realized how soggy the side of the pillow I rested on got. Tears. I thought for a moment she wouldn't be able to tell in this light. I was wrong though.

"What's got you tearing up kiddo, see something in your sleep?"

I couldn't remember at first. So I just shook my head and unconvincingly muttered "No..." 

"You don't have to tell me just yet. I... it can wait. There's just been something I've held onto for a couple months now, and you're here. You're right here..." she balled her fists, holding a fistful of her pants fabric in each. "I can actually tell you now." I got a little suspicious, quirking an eyebrow. My first assumption was a confession of some kind which would be... awkward but also didn't make any sense considering it was months and not years.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your real heritage. Well, you already know your parents obviously so I don't mean that I mean that... one of them." she rubbed the back of her neck. "Your mother was of royal blood and it was covered up so nobody would know."

"I'm a what?"

"You're Queen Historia's cousin. I don't know if that helps anything at all, probably not."

"Help?"

"I know something happened to you, probably a lot judging from how long you were thought dead... you came back different... you promise to tell me when you're ready okay?"

"I will, it's just a long story."

"I very much like long stories." she smiled and ruffled my hair before kissing my forehead. "Now get back to bed, sorry to be a bother, but we need to sleep so we're better prepared in the morning."

I wasn't sure if I could sleep now, I can't exactly believe what was said. I needed to see proof myself.

But that was for another day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Debris fell throughout the stadium. People cried out in fear. Pointed ears, glowing green eyes, 15 meters in height. Eren Jaeger stood before them as his titan, having just killed Willy Tybur. The cries of many people were silenced almost as soon as they had let them out. Dozens followed Tybur to the grave with just his one motion. 

Gabi Braun got up and was herded to safety by Colt Grice, the two of them soon realized that beside them Sophia had been killed by the falling rubble. They had just watched Eren Jaeger launch himself into the higher up stands, crashing through the top of the coliseum itself to continue his rampage. 

"SOPHIA" Udo cried and had moved to try and pull her out, Colt trying to find safety by running in a direction away from Eren's destruction. 

"She's dead Udo. She's gone." he was tearing up himself as he tried to approach and take the boy with him and Gabi. Only for the crowd to run in this direction too. Soon Udo too was gone. Trampled underfoot by the fleeing Marleyans and foreign diplomats. 

The remaining young girl could only muster a weak "No... no... no." while wrapped in the older man's arms during the evacuation. Falco was still missing and now two of their friends were no more. She could only watch as they proceeded forward, seeing all of the bodies scattered out underneath the rubble. 

Meanwhile, the little sister of Willy Tybur activated her own titan. This was the family secret, her being the Warhammer. Ve Tybur was the true inheritor. She was quickly assailed by the Usurper as soon as she formed her titan to stand before his. 

The remaining Marleyan military officials began to launch their counter-attack. Firing a shot off at Eren. Even though it would be completely ineffective on him, it was more a symbolic gesture. He wouldn't get away they said, and this would be where they finally stop him and Paradis.

To their shock, a spear popped right out of the ground and impaled Eren after he had wrestled Ve Tybur's titan to the ground underneath her. He was shot up dozens of meters into the air by it and left hung up on it. Marley finally looked like it could win here despite the slow start.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The pieces were falling into place. The anti-Marleyan volunteers had taken the Jaws and Cartman out of the picture by confining them in a grain silo using a trap door trick minutes before Eren's assault on Liberio. 

Eren had drawn out the Warhammer. This was what he wanted to do here. There was a scramble to regroup everyone and all the Volunteers had to do was wait for the right signal to use to start turning on the other soldiers. 

"Preferably before we get found out or the panzer squads rescue the other Titans." one of them pointed out. It was all about the perfect timing.

From angles all around the city, civilians and soldiers had a view of the titan clash in progress. Canon fire began ringing out, pelting Eren's body with it as he tried ripping himself free from the Hammer's spikes. That didn't stop the tide from quickly turning against his favor though. No matter what he did she was one step ahead, aided in part by his need to protect his nape from the anti-titan rounds.

Until it eventually lost him arms and his head, showing to the world hi human form. Poking up out of the Attack Titan was a raven-haired man. Eren Jaeger opened his eyes wide. Pure white and piercing enough to chill even people on his own side, and the most hardened soldiers on either end. He looked right at the Warhammer who readied the final blow.

"Any last words Usurper?" Ve said, with one swoop this could put an end to the Age of the Titans. The Founding Titans power would be passed to somebody random if Eren died here. And that would be it, Paradis would lose and Marley could move on. So thought Captain Magarth. 

"Now, Mikasa."

And with that, the Warhammer was blindsided by a batch of thunderspears. Mikasa Ackerman arrived on scene, and stood atop Eren's Titan's shoulder. "Eren, please come home now."

Other soldiers wearing maneuver gear wielding Anti-Personnel Weaponry. They shot and ambushed the squad of Marleyans that had been shooting at Jaeger. Elsewhere, that seemed to be the cue for the traitors among Marley to do the same. Dozens more were added swiftly to the death count because of this. 

Eren looked up and grinned wide at Mikasa.

"Eren... do you realize what you've done?" she asked, looking at him as he turns and looks away, pulling himself out of his Titan and sitting on its shoulder below her. "You've killed civilians, including children."

He looked up again, blankly staring. She was tearing up. If he was bothered by anything, his face certainly wasn't showing it. Stoic as can be, just as he had been during his time undercover pretending to be Kruger.

"There's no undoing this, Eren."

He look at her as she knelt down back and to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder tentatively.

"Mikasa, This isn't over yet."

"Impossible..."

The Warhammer Titan was slowly putting itself back together a few dozen meters away from them after it had been blown backwards from the explosions.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up again not much later than I had went back under. This time none other than Mikasa stood above me. reaching down and caressing my cheek. "You..." I muttered, sheepishly trying to look everywhere but into her steel eyes.

"I thought I'd lost you forever, Alice."

I knew she cared, but this... was a lot more personal and emotional than she'd ever gotten any other time in private. She actually sounded on the brink of collapsing into tears as she climbed in and just snuggled into my chest. "I know. I thought I'd be away forever."

"You know I decided, back then, who mattered to me and who didn't."

"I was a late addition." I joked, referencing how the other three were already pretty solidly a thing without me, and no doubt continued on fine. 

"It doesn't matter. It was... impossible for me to move on, as much as I convinced myself you were gone."

"Impossible?" I tilted my head and tentatively reached over and ran fingers through her short hair. 

She didn't seem to hate it. Which was a good sign from her, not normally being so touchy-feely unless she was trying to baby Eren, always much to his dismay. She seemed to return it by rubbing her cheek right against my shoulder she was rested on. "I realized... a lot, after reading what you left behind for us."

"What kinds of things, Kasa?" my throat hitched a bit after speaking. This entire situation quickly moved to the top of the list of most surreal feeling I've had since meeting back with the Scouts. I hoped beyond hope this was going where I thought it was. I brought back all kinds of memories, just talking like this again. Memories of daydreams too, even. An airy feeling I used to get lost in a lot when I was younger.

"While you were gone, and Eren headed to Marley... I had a lot more time to just feel. I couldn't let my worry take over, I had other duties." I continued petting her as she explained, ears all open. "But in my spare time I read all of it. Several times over, as a matter of fact. When I felt alone, it made me realize that I could just think of you and your journal and I'd feel less alone."

"Mhm? I was gone though."

I felt another wet spot forming. It wasn't my tears this time, I realized the moment I'd heard small, shaky gasps. For literally the first time in my entire life I listened and saw this woman cry. She was overwhelmed with emotion, and it was not the usual protective fury or anger at the enemy. "I-i I l-love you. I love you so much." 

"I know." I feel waterworks coming on myself as I smile, finally working it up enough to look back into her eyes.

"Not just as part of my chosen family." she muttered. "I want to be with you... as lovers." she comes in closer to me and kisses me on the lips. I happily return this. It was exactly like I dreamed it would be. Tender and soft, a little rough around the edges. She didn't seem experienced at all, there was the kind of sloppy charm that definitely came with this being newer territory.

I wrapped my hold around her tighter and bawled when we were through with it. I could hear her worry. "Did I do something wrong? I should have figured that maybe... that you wouldn't be-" that was definitely the kind of second-guessing herself I knew she wouldn't do typically.

"No, you did everything right."

That certainly perked her back up. More like the Mikasa I knew, she dried off her eyes on her sleeves and sat up, straightening firm and helping me up to be exactly on her level. "You return my feelings?" A tinge of nervousness was in her voice. Even in the dark I could tell she was blushing.

I leaned in, placing a hand on the back of her head and pressed our noses together. "Yes. And I'll always be in love with you, Mikasa Ackerman."

 "So this whole time?"

I nod and lean back, pulling her on top of me. "Yes, now sleep darling." I yawn and smirk. I'd already had trouble staying asleep tonight, and surprisingly a second major revelation like this just made me want to go back to sleep. So I could wake up and it would officially be a completely new and different world.

Hopefully for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Willy's sister was never given a proper name was sad. After reading through some aot subreddits I decided she was Ve, short for Veronica. She deserves proper recognition imo.
> 
> source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ShingekiNoKyojin/comments/7rgza5/mangaspoilers_name_of_sister_of_the_brother_with/


End file.
